Preparedness

Numerous first responders, each with a different comm system. And no unit can talk to any of the others. A versatile new multiagency JPS/Raytheon system may be the key to unraveling the Babel of silence at future disaster scenes.

The U.S. Army's warfighting record speaks for itself - numerous victories and too many heroes to count. The service's peacetime contributions are just as glorious and have contributed significantly to the common good.

NIMS has spoken, and must be obeyed: A new "common identification standard" for federal employees and contractors is now required. State and local agencies would be well advised to adopt the same standard.

The National Incident Management System training guidelines provide an unprecedented opportunity to improve and expand first-responder and emergency-responder capabilities - but some confusion continues about exactly what is required.

Decontamination operations are a business-as-usual task for most hazmat teams and other first responders. But not when there are hundreds or perhaps thousands of victims and the responders themselves are in danger of being contaminated.

Pascagoula ceremonies celebrate a major upgrading of the USCG's ability to carry out its homeland-defense and national-security missions both on the high seas and in the waters close to the U.S. mainland.

U.S. law-enforcement agencies at all levels of government are gearing up to deal with a possibly nationwide outbreak of terrorist attacks similar to those that have already terrified London, Madrid, Bali, Mumbai, and - most of all - Baghdad.

The Coast Guard men and women on the scene 24/7 throughout the U.S. maritime domain are the service's true front-line forces in the prevention of CBRNE attacks. They need more and better equipment, though, and a lot more training. Starting yesterday.